Trust
by btamamura
Summary: Just some very simple words and Yasuaki trusts Eisen with everything, including the secret of his origin.


**Trust**

_**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Harukanaru Toki no Naka de or its characters, they are the property of Mizuno Tooko and Koei. If I did own it, I'd have Yasuaki and Eisen fall in love._

Yasuaki sat in thought. He was feeling troubled about something. He supposed it was because ever since Akane, Tenma, Shimon and Ran had returned to their world he'd had nobody he could do anything for. Numerous times he contemplated leaving Kyou, but there was always something stopping him. A burning in his chest. He placed his hand over it and recalled each time he'd felt it, he had been thinking of his partner Eisen.

Eisen finished playing a tune on his flute. It was rather melancholy. He missed Akane and two of his fellow Hachiyo. He felt lonesome ever since everything had ended. Most everybody went their own ways, and only ever occasionally met with each other. He still saw Tomomasa often when he visited his brother the emperor of Kyou, and there had been occasions he had bumped into Takamichi. He hadn't seen Inori for a while, he figured the Ten no Suzaku was helping his sister and Ikutidaru with their new child. And, as for Yasuaki, he hadn't seen nor heard from him. For the first couple of days after Akane had departed, Yasuaki often used a mouse to communicate with Eisen to see if he was alright. The Ten no Genbu closed his eyes and smiled gently as he recalled how often Yasuaki had checked on him and how warm it made him feel. He wanted to see Yasuaki again. He knew where Seimei's residence was, perhaps if Yasuaki wasn't there then Seimei could tell Eisen where he was. He nodded to himself in determination.

Yasuaki opened his eyes. As he thought of Eisen, once again, the burning sensation filled his chest. It confused him, he didn't know what that feeling could've been. He made his way back to his home when a familiar presence alerted him to hurry in his return. It had been a long time, but he was going to see his partner again.

Eisen had just arrived at Seimei and Yasuaki's residence when he heard rapid footsteps approach him. He turned in their direction and saw... "Yasuaki-dono!"

Yasuaki stopped in front of Eisen. "I knew it. Eisen, it has been a long time. Are you well?" He noticed a sorrowful look pass over his partner's expression and gestured for the monk to follow him where they could talk about it. He led Eisen to a garden full of Spring flowers. "We can talk here."

Eisen sat beside Yasuaki. "I miss everyone so much. We all just fell apart after Miko left."

"Yes, I noticed that. And, I am no better, I was to speak with you everyday, even by means of communicating through the mouse, but I failed to do that."

Eisen shook his head. "We all just seemed to get back to the lives we had before becoming Hachiyo."

"That is true." He placed his hand over his chest as the burning sensation returned.

"Are you alright?" Eisen noticed what Yasuaki was doing.

"I am unsure. My chest feels warm."

Eisen smiled. "There must be warmth in your heart for some reason."

Yasuaki didn't respond. He didn't know how he would tell Eisen he didn't have a heart. "There are times I wonder what I am meant to be doing, now that I am not a Hachiyo. But, it is as you said, we are returning to the lives we lived before becoming Hachiyo."

Eisen nodded silently in response. "Yasuaki-dono, may we please take a walk? I would just like to spend time with you today."

"Very well." He got to his feet and helped Eisen to his own. "Where do you desire to go?"

"Anywhere is alright with me."

"Then, let us take leave."

Both men walked alongside each other in silence for an hour before Yasuaki felt the burning in his chest once again. It was stronger whenever he cast a glance at his partner. He stopped to contemplate it.

Eisen walked back to Yasuaki after realising that the onmyouji had ceased in his tracks. Once again, the onmyouji had his hand on his chest.

"That burning feeling...it has returned."

"There must be warmth in your heart for some reason."

"That cannot be. I do not have a heart."

"You don't?" Eisen stepped closer and carefully moved Yasuaki's arm out of the way. He rested his cheek against the onmyouji's chest and closed his eyes. "Yasuaki-dono, you say you lack a heart, and yet, I can hear yours beating strong."

The onmyouji's mismatched eyes widened in surprise at what Eisen had said. It was just those words that made him feel as if every question he had was finally answered by just that one sentence uttered by his partner.

"Your heartbeat is very soothing."

"Eisen..."

The monk pulled back slightly and looked up at his partner. His cheeks started to burn as he saw the gentle smile marking the lips of his partner. It filled him with a joy he hadn't felt since Akane had left. He felt something stir inside of him, very similar to what he felt for Akane.

Yasuaki suddenly placed his hands on the monk's shoulders and gently pushed him back a couple of steps. He bent down and rested his head against Eisen's chest. He could hear Eisen's heartbeat. "Your heartbeat is also very soothing, Eisen."

"Yasuaki-dono..." He felt the onmyouji move again and soon felt himself being drawn into an embrace by the onmyouji. He returned it and closed his eyes.

"Eisen...what you said to me, nobody had ever said that to me before. I felt...at peace when you told me you could hear my heartbeat." He closed his eyes, still smiling gently. "I feel...I can trust you with everything I have to say, because...I know that...no matter what I have to say, you will always know how to make things seem alright."

"I am honored to have earned such trust from you, Yasuaki-dono." Even though they were Hachiyo partners, Yasuaki never told Eisen anything he deemed un-necessary for protecting their miko. For Yasuaki to trust him with every word that forms from his lips, it was such an honor.

After a few minutes of silence between the two Hachiyo, Eisen decided to ask the question that was on his mind. "Yasuaki-dono, why is it that you claimed you didn't have a heart?" He felt Yasuaki drop his arms and pull back. "Did...did I ask something I shouldn't have? If so, I apologise."

Yasuaki shook his head. "I told you, I trust you with everything I have to say. There is nothing for me to hide from you. I just wanted to give you freedom."

"Freedom? Why?"

"Because I am unsure how you will react to what I have to say next. People are born with hearts. But, I wasn't born."

Eisen waited patiently for the onmyouji to continue.

"Shishou created me." He closed his eyes. He gave Eisen the chance to run, but he didn't want to have to look at the fear in his partner's eyes.

Eisen's eyes widened at that revelation, but he wasn't afraid. He stepped closer to his partner and gently laid both of his hands on Yasuaki's cheeks. "Please open your eyes, Yasuaki-dono."

The onmyouji did open his eyes and gazed into Eisen's expressive violet eyes. He didn't see any fear.

"I always knew there was something unique about you. But, I never thought it could be this."

"Are you not afraid of me?"

"Should I be?"

"Most people are."

"Only because they don't know you. I'm not afraid of you because I have no reason to be."

"I am an un-natural existence."

Eisen shook his head. "That doesn't make me fear you. I know that you are a kind person who will not hurt others. You'll never hurt me. I have no reason to be fearful of you."

"Even after hearing the truth about my existence...you still wish to stay with me? You haven't run from me..."

"Of course I wish to stay with you. You are still the same Yasuaki-dono that I know, the same Yasuaki-dono who is my Hachiyo partner. And, despite what you told me, it doesn't change that you are the same Yasuaki-dono that is a dear friend to me."

"Eisen..."

He brushed the onmyouji's bangs out of his eyes and gazed into the mismatched eyes. "For you to have told me that..."

"Only you, Miko and Shishou know. It is not something I am proud of, and it is not something that I can just bring up in any conversation."

The monk nodded. "I understand. Thank you for telling me something so personal."

"Thank you...for accepting me..."

Eisen gasped as he saw tears filling his partner's eyes. "What's the matter?"

Yasuaki's eyes widened as he realised what was happening. He felt Eisen brush something from his eye and came to the conclusion that his partner was brushing away his tears. "I am...happy that you have chosen...to accept me, even after finding out the truth."

"It is like I said, it doesn't change anything, you are still the same Yasuaki-dono I have come to care about." He moved his hands away from Yasuaki's face and took one of his partner's arms. He placed Yasuaki's hand on his own chest over his heart and rested one hand on top of it. He then placed his own hand over Yasuaki's heart and saw the onmyouji place a hand over it. "We are both alive, we know because our hearts are beating, we are able to laugh, to cry, to feel everything around us. Our origins may be different, but that doesn't change the fact that...both you and myself...we are alive."

The onmyouji smiled down at the monk as those words replayed through his mind over and over. "You are right, we are alive."

They dropped their hands from each others' chests and moved to embrace each other again. Eisen felt at peace in his partner's arms. He hoped Yasuaki felt the same.

Yasuaki closed his eyes and tightened his hold on his partner. "Will you...stay with me forever, Eisen?"

The monk blinked in confusion and looked up at his partner. He realised Yasuaki needed to hear that someone who knew the truth to stay with him. "I shall, Yasuaki-dono. I won't leave you. We may be apart at times, but I promise, I will always be with you."

"You will be with me...even when we are apart?"

"Yes."

"How is that possible?"

He smiled gently. "I care about you, so know that you're not alone. I will always be there."

"Eisen..."

"Will you stay with me too?"

"I shall. I care about you as well, Eisen." He felt something stir inside him. _What is this feeling? _

Eisen also felt something stir inside of him. _Could it be that...?_

_I do not understand...Eisen's words filled me with a warmth so intense...what is it? What does it mean?_

_Yasuaki-dono...he has filled me with warmth...the same warmth I felt around Miko. Could it really be true?_

_I always feel this warmth when I think of Eisen. I always feel it when I am with him, when I look upon him...when we make physical contact, no matter how slight._

_Am I falling in love with Yasuaki-dono?_

_Is this feeling...love? Could it be that I feel love for Eisen?_

As those thoughts filled the minds of both young men, they stayed in each other's arms, feeling more than a little content.

The End

_Be sure to check out the sequel called **Heart**, however, this can also be read as a stand alone._


End file.
